QUIZ: Gerrymandered US Congressional District Or Rorschach Inkblot?

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain Ever wonder why Congress can maintain a 10% approval rating while still having an incumbent re-election rate over 90%?

Well, the answer's pretty simple and it's called Gerrymandering. It's the process by which state legislatures map districts to guarantee victories for a number of their candidates, regardless of how voters feel.

A legislature held by Party A can deprive Party B of Congressional seats by two redistricting strategies: packing and cracking.

Packing means that they map a district containing a huge majority of Party B supporters, minimizing their effect in the rest of the state. Cracking means that they make sure members of party B are in the minority of most districts by spreading them out between districts.

Can you tell the difference between a gerrymandered congressional district and a Rorschach inkblot?

1/

I think it looks like a moth.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

2/

It's California's former 20th Congressional district, previously represented by Rep. Jim Costa and now largely represented by Rep. David Valadao a solidly Democratic district linking the cities of Fresno, Sanger, Selma, and Lamont in the far south.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

3/

This looks like two people looking at each other.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

4/

It's just a Rorschach test.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

5/

It seems like a skull.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

6/

But it's actually New York's 9th congressional district, a solidly Democratic district represented by Yvette Clark, a hodgepodge of seemingly random parts of Brooklyn and Queens.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

7/

This looks like a crab, right?

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

8/

Represented by Democrat Frank Pallone, this elaborate district manages to connect Plainfield, Edison, New Brunswick and Asbury park for a solidly Democratic district.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

9/

Seahorses. Calling it.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

10/

It's the ninth card of the Rorschach test.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

11/

Space invaders?

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

12/

Nope, It's Illinois' ludicrous, ear-muff shaped 4th District in the heart of Chicago, held by Rep. Luis Gutierrez which connects two largely Hispanic neighborhoods by way of Interstate 294.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

13/

This looks like a Cylon raider.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

14/

...an assessment which would probably throw the Rorschach test analyst for a loop.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

15/

It's a guy in a tuxedo with really long arms.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

16/

Nope, it's North Carolina's 12th Congressional District, which packs as many of the state's Democrats into a single district as possible to keep them out of other districts.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

17/

This seems like two people fighting over something.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

18/

It's the third card on the Rorschach test.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

19/

Two guys dancing.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

20/

Held by Democrats since 1903, the 3rd district — now a slightly retooled 5th — connects Jacksonville, Gainesville, Pine Hills and and Sanford.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

21/

Three AT-STs from Return of the Jedi.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

22/

Actually, Pennsylvania's 12 district, currently held by Republican Pete Rothfus. The 12th connects several cities and suburbs around Western PA, Dodging Pittsburgh but also leaving room to the west for the rural 18th district.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

23/

Two cats climbing a chair.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

24/

This is the 8th card of the Rorschach test.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

25/

Flying saucer going through a forest.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

26/

It's actually North Carolina's 3rd District, comprised of coastal, conservative, and rural communities and held by Republican Rep Walter Jones.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

27/

The face of a miffed Gorilla.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

28/

It's actually Maryland's nonsensical 3rd Congressional District, held by Rep. John Sarbanes, a heavily-Democratic district which finds a way to connects a bunch of random Maryland cities that aren't Baltimore.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

29/

A large angry person.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

30/

It's card 4 of the Rorschach test.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

31/

This looks like a star.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

32/

It's the sixth card of the Rorschach test.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

33/

This looks like an eagle.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

34/

It's actually Maryland's 4th District, held by Democrat Donna Edwards, which also connects a bunch of random non-Baltimore cities in Maryland. Maryland is a really weird state.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

35/

A particularly irate owl about to hit my face.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

36/

Another Maryland one! Democratic Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger holds by far the nuttiest district in all opf Maryland, which keeps with its predecessors in dodging Baltimore but linking several other urban, Democratic leaning areas.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

37/

Two gnomes high-fiving.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

38/

Card two of the Rorschach test.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

39/

A four eyed irate raccoon.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

40/

Just the first card of the Rorschach test.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

41/

A football player who emphases leg and shoulder workouts over arm workouts.

Walter Hickey / BI, Source: Public Domain

42/

It's Arizona's 2nd congressional district is typically a fairly Republican seat. The reason for the odd shape — especially the slim line running along the course of the Grand Canyon — is that isolated Northeast region is the area of the Hopi tribe, while the surrounding area is held by the Navajo.